


dog days.

by valvet



Category: Doom Patrol (TV)
Genre: Awkwardness, First Meetings, Flirting, Gen, M/M, mutual bonding over being part of the us military
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:07:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25173622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valvet/pseuds/valvet
Summary: larry gets a summer job.
Relationships: Larry Trainor/Joseph Macdonald, Larry Trainor/Original Male Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	dog days.

**Author's Note:**

> let larry be happy please i want him to have a boyfriend i am nothing give it to me please

One thing was for certain, Larry Trainor knew nothing about dog-sitting, it was one of those things that never really came to mind, and more importantly it was such a specific niche that even when he wasn't terribly irradiated, he never did it. Of course, when he saw the listing, giving him 20$ per hour just to take care of a guys dogs for a few hours, he had to admit, it did tempt him; and now here he was, in front of Captain Joseph MacDonald’s house, which surprised him--he had expected one of those more modern day suburban complexes that most people lived in, a family guy. But, instead it was small, definitely older in style and more importantly, looking like it was a crime scene. Plastic covered the windows and cleaning supplies was on the porch. 

But yet, he still knocked on the door, it had no doorbell and instead an old style knocker; which definitely puzzled him, how old was this man? Either he was as old as Larry was himself, or he had a lot of money to sink into a house just to make it look like something right from his own childhood. 

“Coming!” The voice was strong, albeit sounded a bit muffled by something--not the door, over the mouth.

When the door opened he understood what it was, a face mask (he took it off when he saw Larry though) the more shocking aspect wasn't that he was casually wearing one around the house (not even one of those cleaning grade ones, like a doctor’s office one), was the fact his face was burned. Parts of his face melted together and dark colors swirling around his face, eyes bloodshot and irises light blue, when he smiled, it stretched around his face, the gums in his teeth obvious, albeit his teeth were not right either--sharper than most, either that or he was hallucinating from the amount of Windex that was in the air; it went straight through his bandages and filled him up with its awful smell.  


“I take it you're the uh--dog guy huh?” Even if his voice was strong, it was rough around the edges.

“Yeah, I am” Larry tried not to seem like he was staring (could he even do that in bandages?), but it seems that Joseph took notice of his head movements.

“Ah, don’t worry I'm fine now, it's just radiation burns, nothing too wild!--Anyways uh, how about you come in, huh? Probably sweltering out there!” He led Larry into his house, it was as old-school as money could buy, no television, or any technology really, all he had was a record player; the chairs carved intricately, and definitely not store bought, made with hands of craftsmen. 

Larry stayed quiet though, and instead just watched Joseph, his soft eyes, and that smile he had across his face anytime he talked it seemed. Once they entered the living room, the weight of the fact he was going to attempt to dog-sit came right back to him, they were big dogs, golden retrievers it seemed, one of them was missing a leg, while the other seemed like it was blind, the joy of Joseph’s face made Larry feel...something, he couldn't put his finger on it yet, but it felt nice.

“Never had kids in my life, closest things I got to em; one without the leg is Langley and the other one is Olympia! They are lickers so i’d make sure you get over the idea of your bandages getting a bit wet” He sat down on the sofa, and Langley immediately made her way onto it, putting her face right into his leg, attempting to dig into the sofa; Larry laughed.

“Looks like she uh, wants that seat” Joseph clicked his tongue

“She wants to be wherever I sit, but I love her anyway, even if she does this when I'm in my bed” He put a hand on the sofa, patting it; “Larry, isn't it? Take a seat! No need to seem a bit scared” Were men this friendly usually? Larry did so, and Langley perked up, she smiled and made her way down, just to jump onto Larry’s legs; he flinched slightly, but then he relaxed; putting a hand in her fur; he could only imagine how soft she was.

“She’s wicked friendly, albeit a little bit clingy--Olympia is an older dog so she isn't as uh...what's the word, hyperactive? But she’s a big softie, you don’t gotta take her out for runs though, just make sure she’s well fed and given her meds” Larry looked over at Joseph; Larry hated his burns, they were horrible, they bloated and swam with memories that he wished every night never happened, but his? They were intricate, soft around the edges and sure, must have been painful, but they were so much more nicer, more understanding of how his smile worked around them. Then, he noticed out of the corner of his eye the fact he had Navy medals on the mantle, he smiled underneath his bandages.

“You were in the navy?” It was so strange, the fact he was this comfortable around somebody; Joseph chuckled, resting his head back.

“I was! Were you? Don’t seem like the guy who’d be in it” Larry didn't necessarily hate people in the Navy, it was more of a rivalry than anything else (the only ones he ever hated were the marines, guys had the biggest egos and the smallest brains).

“No no, Air Force” Joseph then got a smug look on his face.

“Ah a flyboy, huh? I'm impressed, thought they got rid of the Air Force for it being stupid” Just like old times when the Navy men could come over, mockery that was based out of friendship than actual hatred of each other.

“Well , at least we go out and do things instead of standing on a boat all day” Joseph grinned.

“I mean--you’re not wrong!” They both laughed, it had been so long, but Larry was able to get back into the swing of things with him so easily. 

“How long were you in it?” Larry asked, Joseph looked puzzled for a moment, deep in thought.

“I think--I started service back in 1932, then stopped due to uh--this” he gestured down at his burns, “in i think 1945?” 

“Wait--1932?” Repeating it didn't help the fact that it went right through his head; Joseph looked like a light turned on in his head, and he smiled.

“I’m an old guy, Larry! Radiation does things to you; been feeling like I've been 40 since 1945; even if I'm like..I think 114?”

“How are you still..living?” Larry knew why he was still alive, a mixture of Keeg, Niles and radiation; but how could he just be alive with just radiation? It didn't really keep people alive for a century, it gives you cancer and you die painfully.

“I have no god damn clue” He stated, “I think it had to due with where i got all messed up--we were all the way out in the Bermuda, shit hit the fan and i got a big nuclear blast in my force, fell in the ocean and well--here i am!” Joseph wasn't even fazed by it, Larry didn't even want to try to get out whatever in depth details that went into that; he just went with it.

“Take it that you have some burns as well?” Larry nodded

“Airplane accident” Joseph sighed, patting Larry’s shoulder--it felt like something he hadn't felt in so long, his heartbeat went into a frenzy and he felt so damn tense, but relaxed at the same time.

“Sorry about that i--” it's not that he’s uncomfortable, he’s concerned for Larry; he can see it right through his eyes--he should've mentioned it, he ruined it.

“Thank god you're alive, though; god didn't want to kill you yet apparently--that probably wasn't good i’m sorry” 

“No no it's--i should've mentioned it” Joseph shakes his head.

“It's alright Lar--” the name is too intimate, but yet, he doesn't mind coming from his lips, “y'know what? let's not talk about the past, at least until you feel comfortable enough; instead--” he stood up, “how about i get you a drink, huh? I don’t leave for work for another hour, and if you wanna stay then you can” It was obvious he was flirting, the awkward grins he’d have in between words and averting eyes; John never did that, but he knew many men who did; but yet; why? It's not like Larry was anything good; he was selfish, depressed and looked like a sad excuse for a man most of the time; however…

“If you insist” he replied, Joseph looked beyond happy.

“You want a straw with your drink?” Larry laughed, that never happened nowadays, men making him laugh.

“It's the only way I could drink unless you want your face to melt off, then yeah” to his own surprise, Joseph grinned, putting a hand against the door frame to the kitchen.

“I wouldn't mind that, had my face blown off before; I'm pretty sure the real death of me was to see you underneath those bandages” he patted his heart, “gets the heart racing, anyways i’ll be right back; keep the dogs company would ya?” 

Thank god Larry was covered in bandages sometimes, at least it could hide the amount of pure appreciation he felt at that moment, the fact that this guy wanted to see him? Heat rushed right to his face when those words escaped from him, and finally, after so long, he felt loved once again--Keeg loved him, in a platonic sense, destiny planned friends, and Larry tried to do the same as well, but romantically? It had been ages, to feel it once again should've put him into a coma from how nice it was, but alas, he was here, to be loved for at least an hour and maybe more if he played his cards right.


End file.
